ISSN-0039-2502 Journal of the Association of Lunar & Planetary Observers The Strolling Astronomer Volume 59, Number 4, Autumn 2017 Now in Portable Document Format (PDF) for Macintosh and PC-compatible computers Online and in COLOR at http://www.alpo-astronomy.org See page 3 for details. PORTAL ARIZONA SKY SHARE LLC Fractional Ownership Option $39,000 Available Now The Property: The Concept: •AArizona Sky Village near •PPrivately owned LLC with Portal, Arizona five partners at 20% share •TTwo lots on 8 acres •88-12 weeks per year •11,664 sq ft, fully furnished, •EExpenses & property 3-bedroom, 2-bath house investments shared •110’ x 20’ observing pad •33 owners committed – only with power and internet 2 opportunities remain! For more information, please contact: [email protected] The Strolling Astronomer Journal of the Inside the ALPO Point of View: After the Eclipse .................................2 Association of Lunar & News of General Interest ..........................................3 Our Cover: The August 21, 2017 Solar Eclipse; Planetary Observers Where Were You? ..............................................3 An Observing Site: A Great Location and The Strolling Astronomer a Great Price ......................................................3 Attendance Requested: Volume 59, No.4, Autumn 2017 ALPO-GRA Annual Meeting ...............................3 This issue published in September 2017 for distribution in both Conference Registration Info ................................5 portable document format (pdf) and hardcopy format. Galilean Satellite Eclipse Catalog .........................5 Reminder: The ALPO Publications This publication is the official journal of the Association of Lunar & Section Gallery ...................................................6 Planetary Observers (ALPO). Call for JALPO Papers ..........................................7 ALPO Interest Section Reports .................................7 The purpose of this journal is to share observation reports, opinions, ALPO Observing Section Reports ............................8 and other news from ALPO members with other members and the professional astronomical community. Papers & Presentations © 2017, Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers (ALPO). The A Report on Carrington Rotations 2188 through 2190 ALPO hereby grants permission to educators, academic libraries and (2017 03 06.0597 to 2017 05 26.8542) ................21 the professional astronomical community to photocopy material for ALPO Observations of Mercury During the educational or research purposes as required. There is no charge for 2015 Apparitions ..................................................36 these uses provided that credit is given to The Strolling Astronomer, A Preview of the 2017 – 2019 the “JALPO” or the ALPO itself. All others must request permission Perihelic Apparition of Mars .................................42 from the ALPO. 319 Leona and 341 California – Two Very Slowly Rotating Asteroids .....................53 For membership or general information about the ALPO, contact: Galilean Satellite Eclipse Timings: The 2007-09 Apparition ........................................57 Matthew Will ALPO Membership Secretary/Treasurer ALPO Resources P.O. Box 13456 Springfield, Illinois 62791-3456 Board of Directors ...................................................61 Publications Staff ....................................................61 E-mail to: [email protected] Interest Sections .....................................................61 Observing Sections .................................................61 ALPO Publications ..................................................62 Visit the ALPO online at: The Monograph Series ...........................................62 http://www.alpo-astronomy.org ALPO Observing Section Publications ...................63 Back Issues of The Strolling Astronomer ................64 Volume 59, No. 3, Summer 2017 Page 1 The Strolling Astronomer Inside the ALPO Member, section and activity news Association of Lunar & Planetary Observers (ALPO) Point of View After the Eclipse Board of Directors Executive Director (Chair); Michael D. Reynolds By Matt Will, ALPO Membership Secretary/Treasurer Associate Director; Richard W. Schmude, Jr. Member of the Board; Julius L. Benton, Jr. By the time you read this, The Great American Total Solar Eclipse of 2017 Member of the Board; Sanjay Limaye will have been done and over with. Member of the Board; Ken Poshedly For those of us that had the good Member of the Board; John E. Westfall fortune of clear weather, some will Member of the Board & Secretary/Treasurer; have made some valuable scientific Matthew Will observations that can be submitted to the ALPO’s Eclipse Section or other Founder/Director Emeritus; the late Walter H. Haas scientific venues. Publications For many of us that have viewed totality from past eclipses, the visual Editor & Publisher: Ken Poshedly Memories… Totality, observing of that event was both February 26, 1979, beautiful and quite awe inspiring. Some have even said that it was a Primary Observing Section & Interest Section Staff photo by Chris Will, taken with spiritual happening for them. As I am sure many of you will agree, a total (See full listing in ALPO Resources) Ektachrome 200 film, solar eclipse is very dynamic, from its Lunar& Planetary Training Section: using a 230mm lens, grounding in scientific concepts, to the Timothy J. Robertson exposure 1/15 of a rich splendor of features that only Solar Section: Rik Hill second, camera hand nature, through totality, can provide. held. North at top. Mercury Section: Frank Melillo The build-up to this event, and the Venus Section: Julius L. Benton, Jr. human interaction before, during, and after the eclipse can be Mercury/Venus Transit Section: John E. Westfall special and unique. Whereas our scientific observations give the Lunar Section: lowdown on exactly what was seen, the social aspects of how Lunar Topographical Studies & the eclipse impacted you and the people around you can be Selected Areas Program; Wayne Bailey culturally insightful as well. Lunar Meteoritic Impact Search; Brian Cudnik I would greatly encourage you to preserve not only your Lunar Transient Phenomena; Anthony Cook scientific observations, but to compose an essay or memoir of Mars Section: Roger Venable the interesting things you encountered with others, problems Minor Planets Section: Frederick Pilcher you had along the way and how you overcame them. Record Jupiter Section: Ed Grafton your personal impressions of the whole event, preparing for the eclipse, the eclipse itself, and the personal impressions you and Saturn Section: Julius L. Benton, Jr. others had, after the eclipse. Remote Planets Section: Richard W. Schmude, Jr. Eclipse Section: Michael D. Reynolds My first total solar eclipse was on February 26, 1979. My brother Comets Section: Carl Hergenrother Chris and I traveled to Manitoba, Canada to view it. Under Meteors Section: Robert D. Lunsford incredible odds, adversity, and good humor, we witnessed the total solar eclipse in all its glory. The story of our trip was worthy Meteorites Section: Dolores Hill of committing it to paper. Working from handwritten notes at the ALPO Online Section: Larry Owens time and personal recollections later on, I wrote a short memoir Computing Section: Larry Owens about that adventure not long ago. In an age where personal Youth Section: Timothy J. Robertson histories are valued by historians to learn “the story behind the story”, you too can provide a unique visualization of your experiences now and for future generations to read. Consider what you write to be your own personal, historic heirloom for the future, for your descendants and others to read. Page 2 Volume 59, No. 4, Autumn 2017 The Strolling Astronomer Inside the ALPO Member, section and activity news News of General Interest ALPO Eclipse Section Coordinator Mike Reynolds is currently compiling his report on the August 21, 2017 “Great American Our Cover: The August 21, Eclipse” for publication in JALPO60-1, for release in December. 2017 Solar Eclipse; Where Were You? ownership opportunity for you to including my favorite -- multiple consider. weeks per year at the site. We know where ALPO Solar Section Coordinator Rik Hill was — behind I am the proud original owner of an We have some of the most incredibly the Parkway Plaza Hotel in Casper, astronomy home at Arizona Sky clear, DARK skies that yield Wyoming, where the Astronomical Village. For those of you who don't wonderful observing conditions. League held its meeting (latitude know about ASV, it's an enclave of Frankly, while observatory viewing is 42.855895° N, longitude like-minded astronomy enthusiasts a mainstay at ASV, I personally enjoy 106.327514° W). who share the dark night skies of just being on the pad under the full Southeast Arizona. Fred Espenak (my dome of the sky. Incidentally, it was really tough next-door neighbor) and Jack If this opportunity sounds interesting deciding which eclipse image to use Newton are two of our founding to you or if you know someone who on our front cover this time. But Rik’s residents. seems to catch it all -- an ethereal, would be interested, please review soft-focus appearance that includes Here's a recent story about ASV from the full-page ad on the inside front not only a really great view of the a Phoenix television station: http:// cover of this Journal. Additionally, I corona and its texture, but also flares www.fox10phoenix.com/news/arizona-